


a little ember burned me down

by likewinning



Category: Batman (Comics), DCU (Comics)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-02
Updated: 2015-10-02
Packaged: 2018-04-24 11:26:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4917769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/likewinning/pseuds/likewinning
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"So," Roy says. "You gonna let him fuck this one up, too?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	a little ember burned me down

**Author's Note:**

> thanks to my favoritest of all ohmcgee for listening to me yell about this. <3

Thursday night, Dick gets drunk. It's not that different from most nights, except he gets wasted with Tim and Roy, without Jason. He ends up cutting out when Tim and Roy start grinding on the couch like horny teenagers, Roy's hands on Tim's skinny hips and Tim's hands in Roy's hair.

It's midnight, and he knows Jason's probably with Bruce, but he calls him anyway, and then calls again when he doesn't answer.

"Hey, Dickie," Jason says. His voice is just above a whisper. "Everything okay?"

"No," Dick says. He falls back against the mattress. He hears Tim and Roy in the next room fucking the life out of each other, and it makes him lonely. "I miss you, Jay."

"Dick," Jason says. "You see me every day."

"Yeah, but not - it's not the _same_."

"Dickie, I gotta go," Jason says. "I don't wanna wake anyone up. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay," Dick says. "But can't you come by?" He knows he's being stupid and selfish, but he's too drunk to care.

"I'm all the way out in the damn country," Jason says. "And Bruce is asleep. I can't…"

"Yeah," Dick says. "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow, Jaybird."

He hangs up, and he tries to sleep, but his head's still spinning so he turns on the TV instead.

He doesn't know how much time passes before Jason shows up, only that he looks up and Jason's standing in the doorway, his hair a mess and his shirt half unbuttoned.

"Well, the idiots have passed out," Jason says. "I can hear them snoring from here."

"That means you missed the show," Dick says. "What are you doing here?"

Jason scowls, steps into the room and stands over Dick. "You asked me to come, asshole."

"Yeah, but -"

"I changed my mind," Jason says quickly. "What the hell are you watching?"

"I thought it was a cooking show," Dick says, glancing over at the TV. "But I'm starting to think it might be an infomercial."

"Uh-huh," Jason says. He kicks off his shoes and gets on the bed next to Dick. He smells like someone else's aftershave, like cigarettes, like -

"Did you have a good time?" Dick asks. He curls up against Jason. It still fucks with him that Jason's bigger than he is now, that he's not some tiny thing Dick can throw over his shoulder whenever he wants.

"Yeah," Jason says. "We went to -" Jason laughs, says, "We went to a fucking _play_. And not one of those shitty ones that Donna's always in."

"I liked the one about the grapefruit," Dick says.

"That's _not_ what that was about," Jason says. "Anyway, this was better."

"Yeah," Dick says. "I mean, look at you." He pokes Jason in the stomach where one of his buttons is undone. "You got all _fancy_."

Jason shoves him. "Fuck off."

"Are those _dress pants_?"

"Fuck _off_ , Dickie." Jason's blushing, and Dick's just drunk enough still to admit that it's adorable. Dick slips his hands under Jason's shirt and tickles him, and Jason tries his best to fight him off but Dick climbs on top of him.

"Mother _fucker_ ," Jason says, and he rolls them over until he's straddling Dick's legs, holding Dick's hands over his head.

They're both breathing hard, and Dick licks his lips, starts, "Jay -"

"I gotta go," Jason says. He lets go of Dick, starts to climb off of him. "I should -"

"Jay," Dick says. "Will you stay a little while?"

"Dick…"

"I'll be good," Dick promises. "Come on, we'll put a movie on or something, okay?"

Jason hesitates, just for a second, and then - "Yeah," he says. "All right." He settles back down against the pillows, and Dick gets up to find a movie. Jason's asleep by the opening credits.

 

*

Jason's making breakfast the next morning when Roy stumbles into the kitchen wearing just his boxers. "Hey, Jaybird," he says. He slings his arm around Jason and kisses his neck. "Is this a service we've signed up for? Cuz I gotta tell ya, I'd rather you just hung out with us."

Jason elbows him. "Asshole." He dishes the eggs onto four separate plates. "Dick called me last night." He almost doesn't want to look at Roy, but he does.

"Weren't you at _Bruce's_?" Roy asks. They always say his name like that, like he's - Jason's not really sure.

"Yes," Jason mutters. "I know, okay?" He hands Roy his plate, and they clear a space on the couch so they can eat.

"So," Roy says. "You gonna let him fuck this one up, too?"

" _Roy_ ," Jason warns.

" _Jay_ ," Roy says. He looks ridiculous, mouth covered in egg and cheese because he's never heard of a goddamn napkin, covered in bruises from Tim's mouth and his hair half out of a ponytail. "Look," he says. "I know I've been a dick about this too, okay? I _miss _you, asshole. We all do. But he's never gonna give you what you want. So don't fuck this up."__

__"I'm not -" Jason starts. He can feel every part of him tensing up. He knows Roy has a point, knows he's trying to help, but - "There's not even anything _to_ fuck up, okay? We've been on a couple dates. It doesn't fucking _matter_. Jesus, you think -"_ _

__"Babe," Roy interrupts. "There was Jaeger last night. I don't think anything, really. Now shut up and watch cartoons with me like a normal burnout."_ _

__Jason does, and eventually Tim and Dick wake up and join them, but Jason's skin still itches from what Roy said._ _

__

__*_ _

__

__Saturday night, Dinah's band plays at a club downtown. The opening band is shit and they all get drunk, and Roy starts telling his _when I had **my** band_ stories._ _

__"You were in a band?" Tim asks._ _

__"If you can call it that," Dick says._ _

__"They weren't _that_ terrible," Jason says. He's had more to drink than any of them, and Dick already has to hold him up._ _

__Roy grins, at Tim and then at Jason. "Jaybird was my _groupie_."_ _

__"Fuuuck you," Jason says. He tries to steal the drink out of Dick's hand and it spills a little on Dick's hand. "Oops," Jason says. He brings Dick's hand up to his mouth and licks his fingers clean, and Dick stares at him, feels the warmth of Jason's mouth go right to his dick._ _

__"Uh," Dick says._ _

__" _Anyway_ ," Roy says. "He used to spend _hours_ watching me practice."_ _

__"You _needed_ hours," Dick says. Jason's sucking on his neck now, and he really should make him _stop_ , but._ _

__"Fuck you," Roy says. "I'm an _artist_."_ _

__"Yeah," Jason says. His hand is under Dick's shirt now, running over his abs. "God, he used to fuck me for -"_ _

__"Hey," Dick says. He sees Roy's eyes getting huge, sees Tim looking _interested_. "Let's go get you another drink, okay?"_ _

__"Already got one," Jason says. He lifts Dick's hand, brings the straw in his drink to his mouth and finishes it off. "All gone," he says._ _

__Dick pulls him over to the bar, weaving their way through the crowd. Jason orders drinks, and when he turns back Dick looks at him. "You wanna tell me what's going on?" he asks, and Jason shrugs._ _

__"It's Saturday," Jason says. "We're getting drunk. D'you need a diagram?"_ _

__"What happened with Bruce?"_ _

__Jason ignores him, pulling the tray of shots he just ordered toward him._ _

__"Jay…" Dick starts. "What -"_ _

__" _Nothing_ ," Jason snaps. "Jesus. I don't need to be with him every fucking second, right?"_ _

__"Yeah, but -"_ _

__"Dickie." Jason turns to him with a shot in his hand. "Just shut up, okay? I _know_ you're not that good at it, but _try_."_ _

__Dick rolls his eyes, but when Jason lifts the shot to his mouth Dick opens up for it. Half of it spills out of Dick's mouth and Jason leans forward to lick it up, then slips his tongue into his mouth. Jason kisses him back against the bar, pushes Dick's legs apart with his thigh._ _

__"Jay," Dick says. Jason drags his mouth down to Dick's throat, sucks a bruise there._ _

__"Yeah, Dickie?"_ _

__"Jay, we should…" Dick starts. He touches Jason's face, runs his hands through his hair._ _

__"What should we do?" Jason asks._ _

__"I want…" Dick starts again. His mouth tastes like tequila, like _Jason_._ _

__Jason looks up at him. "Spit it _out_ , Dickie."_ _

__Dick swallows, pushes Jason back a little and says, "We should get back."_ _

__Jason stares at him, his eyes narrowing, and then he sneers and says, "Sure. Whatever."_ _

__He loses Jason in the crowd, and then the show starts, and he doesn't see any of them until midway through the show Roy catches up to him, tugs on his arm and says, "Where have you _been_?"_ _

__"I was… Have you seen Jason?" he asks._ _

__Roy just laughs._ _

__

__*_ _

__

__"Shouldn't we be out there?" Tim asks. He's wearing bright red lipstick tonight, the infuriating kind that doesn't smear unless you make a real _effort_ , a little black skirt and a sequin top. Jason dragged him back to the bathroom shortly after the show started, when Tim leaned against him and Roy and said, "Oh, that reminds me, I have to find some new fishnets. _Some_ one ripped them the last time he was too desperate for a fuck."_ _

__"Sorry, babe," Roy said, his eyes too transfixed on Dinah to even glance down. "Everyone knows fishnets were _made_ to be ripped open."_ _

__"Nah," Jason slurs. He presses Tim back against the stall door, fucks his tongue into his mouth until he can taste rum and coke, cigarettes and Roy. "Acoustics are better in here than out there, anyway."_ _

__"Uh-huh," Tim says. Jason curls his fingers under Tim's skirt and pushes it up, strokes over the cute little panties Tim's wearing. "And what about -"_ _

__He kisses Tim again, sucks on his bottom lip until Tim _whines_ for it, pushes into Jason's hand. "You wanna fuck my mouth?" Jason asks, and Tim's eyes get big and dark before he says, "Since you're _offering_."_ _

__Jason drops to the floor, mouths at Tim's panties until they're soaked, until Tim gets his hand in Jason's hair and says, "Fuck, don't _tease_."_ _

__Jason looks up, rubs his finger over Tim's hole through the silk. "You've gotta be joking."_ _

__Tim glares down at him, but it's a little blurred by how drunk they both are. "I _don't_ joke about head, Jason. Everyone should know that."_ _

__"Uh-huh," Jason says. He shoves Tim's panties down and swallows him in one go, just fucking chokes himself on Tim as much as he can. "Yeah," Tim says, grabbing at his hair again. "Yeah, fuck, _jesus_."_ _

__Jason moans around him, gets both hands on Tim's ass and grabs a handful before he lifts him, balancing Tim's legs on his shoulders._ _

__"Holy _fuck_ ," Tim says, and Jason hums around him, alternating hard and soft sucks until Tim's bouncing on him for more. He reaches back and squeezes Tim's balls, teases his hole and Tim bangs his head back against the stall and comes, holding Jason's head while Jason sucks every last drop out of him, whining and whimpering and _shaking_._ _

__Jason lets Tim down, pulls his panties up and fixes his skirt. There's a knock on the door, and they both look at each other like nervous idiots until Roy says, "Whatever you just did to make him make all that noise, I call next."_ _

__Tim snorts and starts to leave, but Jason stops him with a hand on his wrist. "Check on Dick, okay?"_ _

__Tim gives him a weird look, something almost - soft, but maybe Jason's just _that_ drunk. "Yeah, sure."_ _

__"Thanks," Jason says. Then he grabs Roy by the shirt collar and pulls him in, lets Roy just fucking devour his mouth, licking the taste of Tim out of him._ _

__"Jaybird," Roy says, licking all along his jaw, kissing his neck. "Should I bother asking you if you're okay?"_ _

__"Definitely not," Jason says. He cups Roy's dick through his jeans, asks, "You wanna fuck me?"_ _

__"Oh my _god_ ," Roy says, leaning his head against Jason's shoulder for a minute. He pushes Jason's shirt up to get at the buttons of his jeans, says, "I think the last time we did that I was _taller_ than you."_ _

__Jason laughs, shoves his jeans down and waits for Roy to grab the slick out of his pocket. "Yeah, maybe."_ _

__"Look at you now," Roy says. He turns Jason around, sucks at the ink on the back of his neck, wraps his hand around Jason's cock while he opens him up. "Fuckin' beast these days, Jaybird."_ _

__"Don't get - ah - sappy," Jason says as Roy adds a second finger. "I _know_ no one gave you Jaeger."_ _

__"My little Jaybird's all grown up," Roy says. "Well," he amends. "Almost. Far be it from me to stop a night of debauchery, but Jay, are you -"_ _

__"I'm ready," Jason says. "Fuck me."_ _

__Roy does. He presses into Jason slowly at first, until Jason reaches back to grip Roy's hips and says, "I didn't get _breakable_ , Roy, _fuck_ me." Roy picks up his pace then, grips Jason's hips hard and slams into him until the stall panels rattle, until Jason can't even hear the music anymore over the slap of Roy's balls against his ass, the sound of Roy's breath against his ear, the low, guttural moans coming from both of them._ _

__"God, Jay, you feel so _good_ ," Roy says. "Can't believe how long it's been, can't -"_ _

__" _Harder_ ," Jason says, and Roy gives him more, keeps one hand on him while he reaches around Jason to grab his dick. _ _

__"Can't believe you didn't fuck Tim tonight," Roy says. "You _know_ he would've let you."_ _

__"Yeah," Jason says. He pushes back against Roy's dick until he's so filled _up_ , says, "Needed you, though. Need - you _know_ what -"_ _

__Jason knows it's not English, knows, with Roy, it doesn't fucking need to be. Roy's been around so long he knows most of what goes on in Jason's head - sometimes even more than Jason knows._ _

__"Yeah," Roy says. "I know. Come on, Jay. Come for me."_ _

__Roy tugs him back for a sloppy, messy kiss and Jason lets go, feels like he drifts out of himself for a minute there when he comes, not even aware when Roy comes too until they're both still, Roy's head on his shoulder and his arms around Jason's chest._ _

__"You ready to go back out?" Roy asks after a couple minutes._ _

__Jason laughs, feeling a little less drunk, a little shaky. He should call Bruce. He should -_ _

__"Dunno," Jason says._ _

__"It might be safer to stay in here," Roy says. "When Dinah finds out all of us saw about ten minutes of the show, she'll be pissed."_ _

__"Yeah, maybe," Jason agrees. He pulls up his jeans, and they start back out there, but Jason stops him at the door, pulls him into another kiss. "Hey," he says. "Thanks."_ _

__Roy grins, pushes Jason's hair back from his face. "This is the last time I say it tonight," Roy says. "But call Bruce tomorrow, okay?"_ _

__Jason makes a face, but - "Yeah," he says. "I will."_ _

__"'Kay," Roy says. "Let's go get drunk again. We sweated off at _least_ two shots."_ _

__

__*_ _

__

__Dick wakes up on the kitchen floor of his apartment. He only knows it's the kitchen floor because from where he's at, he can see half a dozen sour gummy worms in a little pool of fruit punch. Five minutes later, Tim walks in - toes painted blood red, naked except for a pair of Roy's boxers - and looks down at him._ _

__"Morning, sunshine," he says. "Well, mid-afternoon. Let's be realistic. I was just about to wake you up, since you and I have a shift in about an hour."_ _

__Dick makes a vague, horrified noise. Tim, helpful little fucker that he is, sprays him with the hose from the sink._ _

__" _Tim_."_ _

__"Yes?" Tim says, leaning over him. He's still wearing last night's make-up, but at least he looks _rested_._ _

__"Um. Why am I on the floor?"_ _

__Tim snorts. "After the show we called Steph to pick up Jason, and then we were stuck with _you_. You made us take you to another bar, and then when we finally got you back here you insisted you felt safer on the ground."_ _

__"Ah," Dick says. He remembers - well, exactly none of that._ _

__"Look, Dick," Tim says. "You made Roy and I have to behave like responsible adults. It made me really uncomfortable. Whatever it is, grow the fuck up about it, okay?"_ _

__"Wow," Dick says. He starts to turn away from Tim and gets a soggy gummy worm in his hair for it. "Thanks. Love you too, buddy. I don't remember you complaining last night when -"_ _

__Tim looks like he's about three seconds from kicking him in the ribs. "I'm sure I won't be the last one to tell you this," Tim says. "But you've had more than enough chances."_ _

__"I…" Dick knows that. He _knows_ that. But -_ _

__"Call him," Tim says. "Or take a shower and then call him, whatever."_ _

__"Yeah, okay," Dick says._ _

__"And if you're really feeling nice," Tim says on his way out of the kitchen, "figure out a way to make breakfast without killing both of us."_ _

__

__*_ _

__

__When Jason wakes up, he's still drunk. He knows he must be, because nothing _hurts_ yet, and he's positive there's supposed to be some kind of pain after the amount of alcohol he consumed. He lays in bed watching the room spin for a while, and then he starts looking for his phone - Steph even put it on the charger for him because she's the _best_ human._ _

__He texts her first - a million thank yous and x's and o's - and then he listens to the message from Bruce._ _

_Hello, Jason. I just wanted to make sure you were all right. You sounded - well, I shouldn't presume how you sounded after such a small amount of time, but all the same, you didn't sound quite yourself. I hope you're well. Please call me when you can._ There's the smallest pause, and then - _I missed you yesterday._

__Jason gets out of bed long enough to grab a bottle of water and a couple aspirin, and then he calls Bruce._ _

__"Hey," he says when Bruce answers. As soon as he hears Bruce's voice he starts to feel better, less - rattled._ _

__"How are you?" Bruce asks, and Jason laughs._ _

__"Still drunk, I think," he says. "I went a little crazy last night."_ _

__"Are you all right?" Bruce asks. He bets Bruce is sitting in his study, leaning back in his chair. The sun's out and Bruce has a perfect view of the grounds from there, Jason knows. Bruce invited him to stay the weekend not too long ago, and Jason would've, if -_ _

__"I think I am," Jason says. "I -" _miss you._ "I was seeing if you wanted to have lunch. Or I could cook for you again."_ _

__"There's no need to set off any smoke alarms, Jay," Bruce says._ _

__"Hey, I didn't - that place was _immaculate_ after -" Bruce laughs. Bruce is laughing _at_ him, and Jason really doesn't care because there's so much warmth in it, this almost over _whelming_ amount. _ _

__"I only meant," Bruce says, "If you're currently still inebriated, I wouldn't want to make you cook. Perhaps I should pick you up."_ _

__"I'm not too inebriated for _that_ ," Jason says, grinning._ _

__"Now you're just teasing," Bruce says, his voice a little lower. "I'll be there soon."_ _

__"Okay," Jason says. His phone beeps, and when he looks at the screen it's Dick trying to call. "If I don't answer right away, don't worry, I probably just fell in the shower. You'll come pick me up, right?"_ _

__" _Jason_ ," Bruce says, in that growl that goes _right_ to Jason's dick._ _

__"See you in a bit," Jason laughs and hangs up._ _

__He waits a minute, and then he calls Dick._ _

__"Hey, Jay," Dick says._ _

__"Hey," Jason says. "So, I lost track of you shortly after the show ended last night. Where'd you end up?"_ _

__Dick laughs, and it sounds like it hurts. "On the floor, apparently. I'm not even sure I'm still alive."_ _

__"Poor baby," Jason says, not totally genuine._ _

__"Yeah, I know," Dick says. "Jay, I should've -"_ _

__"No," Jason says. "You did the right thing. I was pretty messed up, Dickie."_ _

__"I know," Dick says, quiet. "But what about all the other times?"_ _

__Jason can't answer that. If Dick had said yes any of the hundred times while they were both drunk, if he'd let it happen more than once while they were _sober_ , Jason would've -_ _

__Knows there's every chance he'd _still_ -_ _

__"Look," Jason says. "I gotta go. Bruce is taking me to lunch. But I'm coming by yours after work, okay? We'll hide from the idiots and we'll talk."_ _

__"Okay," Dick says. He lets out a breath. "Love you, Jaybird."_ _

__"Yeah, Dickie," Jason says. "I love you, too."_ _

__Bruce picks him up a little while later, and even though he's starting to sober up and the sun is murder, Jason takes him three blocks from his apartment to his favorite hotdog cart and he makes Bruce try a chili dog. He's skeptical about it at first, until Jason threatens to get chili all over Bruce's nice white shirt if he doesn't just take a bite._ _

__Really, Bruce ends up with chili all over him anyway, but that's just because Jason gets impatient to kiss him, ends up half in his lap on a park bench, both of them messy._ _

__"Missed you," Jason says, rubbing against Bruce's beard, and Bruce laughs, says, "Then you shouldn't have left so soon Thursday night."_ _

__"Sorry," Jason says. He settles back down on the bench, leaning against Bruce. Bruce slings his arm around him. "I had to - I kind of - I'm gonna need you to be patient with me, Bruce. I'm used to being the grown-up with my idiot friends. I'm not used to being that _with_ other grown-ups."_ _

__Bruce strokes his hair, and Jason thinks about going back to sleep _right_ here. "You're doing fine, Jay," Bruce says._ _

__"Thanks," Jason says. "I - you know, me and Dick -" He shuts his eyes, tries to find the right words. He doesn't talk to anyone about this - Roy only knows because he was _there_ , and Tim knows the bits and pieces he's caught from all of them. "We grew up together. Same foster home and everything, 'til Dick got adopted. Dick watched out for me. He was my - he was my _world_. Still is, really. But we never - I mean, I _wanted_ to, would've done anything, but - Bruce. Am I making sense?"_ _

__For a couple seconds, Bruce doesn't say anything, and Jason has about three mini heart attacks at once. Then Bruce leans down, kisses the top of his head and says, "Yes. And if you need to go, I won't make you stay. But I would be disappointed."_ _

__Jason looks up at him. Bruce still has chili in the corner of his mouth, and his hair's a little fucked up from Jason messing with it the second he saw him, and he's looking at Jason like - like Jason doesn't fucking _know_ , because no one's ever looked at him like that._ _

__"Thank you," Jason says._ _

__"Mm," Bruce says, playing with Jason's hair again. "Should I walk you back?"_ _

__"Bruce," Jason says. "You can walk me _up_."_ _

__

__*_ _

__

__When Jason gets to Dick's place, Tim and Roy and Dick are all on the couch trying to kill each other at Mario Kart. "You know it's pointless," Jason tells them. "Tim's going to fucking destroy you. He probably slept with the inventor of Mario Kart or something."_ _

__"I _would_ ," Tim, knocking Roy's character off the road. "I mean, is there any greater game?"_ _

__"Dunno," Jason says. "Hey, knock Dick's character out of the running. I gotta talk to him."_ _

__Roy glances up at him for a second, then looks back at the screen._ _

__"Done and done," Tim says, and after Tim fires some shells, Dick's character gets knocked into a wall._ _

__"Asshole," Dick says, but he gets up, stepping around Tim and Roy and pulling Jason into a bone-crushing hug. "Hey, Jay," Dick breathes. He smells good, like that cotton candy body spray Harley keeps spritzing on everyone since she's got an in with the chick from Bath and Body Works._ _

__"Hey, Dickie," Jason says. He hugs Dick back, and they walk to the kitchen. Jason means to just grab a drink, but when he sees how filthy everything is, he makes Dick find anything to clean with._ _

__"I can't believe you can live like this," Jason says. "Did you repress the roaches at that one home?"_ _

__"Maybe," Dick says, trying to unstick a Twizzler that's been fused to the stove. "I remember the mice, though," he says helpfully._ _

__"God," Jason says. He starts working on the floor, sweeping up a month's worth of dirt. "Remember Mary? Little fucking terror who'd hit everyone with her jump rope?"_ _

__"Uh-huh," Dick says. "You told her if she did that one more time, you'd find one of the mice and put it in her bed."_ _

__"Yeah," Jason says. "Good thing she believed me. I'm fuckin' terrified of those."_ _

__"Aww," Dick says. He comes up behind Jason and wraps his arms around him, leans up and kisses his cheek. "I would've protected you, Jaybird."_ _

__"Dickie," Jason starts._ _

__"Sorry," Dick says. He lets go, says, "I shouldn't, right? I never - I shouldn't have - I didn't _know_."_ _

__Jason takes the dustpan to the trash, empties it, and looks over at Dick. "What didn't you know?"_ _

__Dick looks _freaked_ , eyes huge and he keeps worrying the rag in his hands instead of actually using it. "I didn't know you were - every time we - I thought we were just messing around, Jay."_ _

__Jason seriously considers beating Dick with the broom before he speaks. "Dick," Jason says. "I've been fucking in love with you since I was fifteen."_ _

__"But you and Roy -"_ _

__"Because you weren't _doing_ anything about it. You never do. We get drunk, and we fuck around sometimes, and we never talk about it, but everyone _knows_. Jesus, Dickie, Tim knows and he's been here for a _minute_."_ _

__Dick looks hurt. "I didn't know, Jay. I'm sorry."_ _

__Jason shuts his eyes for a second, then leans the broom back against the refrigerator and walks over to Dick. "I'm not asking for an apology, Dick. I'm really not. I know you don't feel the same way, and I never expected you to just change your mind for _me._ " He takes Dick's hand. "I've been pretty screwed up lately. This whole Bruce thing, it's… It's new, and it's different, and it's going to mean I'm not _always_ around. I need you to get that, because even if you don't want to fuck me you still love me. Okay?"_ _

__Dick laughs, and it sounds about as pained as Jason feels right now, but he says, "Of course I get that. And I do love you. I wish -"_ _

__Jason reaches forward and puts his hand over Dick's mouth. "Leave it at that, okay?" Dick nods, and Jason pulls his hand back._ _

__"So," Dick says. "You really like him, huh?"_ _

__"Yeah," Jason says. "I haven't told him or anything, but I'm kind of crazy about him."_ _

__Dick smiles, his whole face lighting up with it, and Jason knows his chest is always going to hurt a little from that, that if things don't work out with Bruce he'll be right back where he was, but for one thing. "I'm happy for you, Jaybird. Even if I've been a - well, you know."_ _

__"Good," Jason says. "Now quit fucking slacking, this place is a nightmare."_ _

__"Fine," Dick says. "But can we at least make those idiots help?_ _

__Jason grins. "Absolutely." He pokes his head out into the living room and says, "Hey, fucknuts! Get in here and help."_ _

__

__*_ _

__

__Monday night, Jason closes with Roy. It's been a quiet night, a small rush midway through the shift but nothing much since then, so they've mostly been trying to see who can find the most awful thing in the music selection. They close up, and Roy sits on the counter while Jason counts out._ _

__"So, you and Dickie are okay now?" Roy asks._ _

__"We're always okay," Jason says, and Roy kicks his chair._ _

__"You know what I mean, jackass," Roy says. "I _tried_ to listen in yesterday but Tim kept leaning over to talk filth to sabotage the game."_ _

__Jason snorts. "We're good, Roy, I swear. Mommy and Daddy are fine."_ _

__"'Scuse me," Roy says, standing up straight. "But if anyone gets to be Daddy around here, it's me."_ _

__"Why, 'cause you're fucking a teenager?"_ _

__"Now is that better or worse than being a graverobber?"_ _

__Jason kicks him. "Blow me, Harper."_ _

__Roy grins, scooting down to the floor. "Since you _asked_..."_ _

__"Moron," Jason says. His phone buzzes, and when he looks there's a text from Bruce._ _

__"Ooh," Roy says, leaning over to look. "Did he need his bifocals to type that out?"_ _

__"That's it," Jason says, flipping him off with one hand while he types with the other. "I'm locking you in the office."_ _


End file.
